xms-888 ignoring wide screen setting?

[d'Wooluf]

Warning: noob alert!

One or two of the other threads may relate to this.

Afaict, my xms-888 ignores the wide-screen setting in the preferences menu. On our wide-screen, 4:3 stuff takes up the entire screen. 16:9 content is shown with black bars at top and bottom. In all cases, the picture looks squashed vertically. I'm pretty sure I've checked the entire manual and pressed each button on the control at least ten times!

Can anyone shed any light on this?

[jokiin]

Originally Posted by d'Wooluf

Warning: noob alert!

One or two of the other threads may relate to this.

Afaict, my xms-888 ignores the wide-screen setting in the preferences menu. On our wide-screen, 4:3 stuff takes up the entire screen. 16:9 content is shown with black bars at top and bottom. In all cases, the picture looks squashed vertically. I'm pretty sure I've checked the entire manual and pressed each button on the control at least ten times!

Can anyone shed any light on this?

Hmmm, pressing each button 10 times should normally sort anything out seriously though can you give some detail about what you are playing, avi, dvd etc and what settings you are currently using.

If you haven't checked it out already a good place to start for all things related to the 888 is www.xms888.tk

[andw]

I have no problem with widescreen on DVD's (only on AVI's).
Nearly all DVD players make DVD's encoded as 4:3 fill the screen unfortunately. There's a thread of a similar (not exactly the same) in the DVD section http://forums.eyo.com.au/showthread.php?t=38562 .
However, this problem with AVI's is a known reported problem, that will hopefully be fixed in a newer firmware version.

[d'Wooluf]

Originally Posted by jok11n

Hmmm, pressing each button 10 times should normally sort anything out seriously though can you give some detail about what you are playing, avi, dvd etc and what settings you are currently using.

If you haven't checked it out already a good place to start for all things related to the 888 is www.xms888.tk

... that's if banging it with your fist a few times doesn't do the job. I'm definitely having issues with avi. I wasn't sure about dvd- probably a seed of doubt sown by the avi issue. I've since gone back and had another look and I'd say that dvd is ok. Display type is set to 'wide', progressive scan, component cables. It's probably all academic in light of the other reply to my post.

It looks like a known issue, and I guess my choices are to wait for a fix, or take it back. Other people in the house seem to enjoy the avi's correct aspect-ratio or not, so I'll probably keep it.

cheers

[d'Wooluf]

Originally Posted by andw

I have no problem with widescreen on DVD's (only on AVI's).
Nearly all DVD players make DVD's encoded as 4:3 fill the screen unfortunately. There's a thread of a similar (not exactly the same) in the DVD section http://forums.eyo.com.au/showthread.php?t=38562 .
However, this problem with AVI's is a known reported problem, that will hopefully be fixed in a newer firmware version.

Avi's were the problem (as I should have established and made clear when I posted), so that seems to be that. At least I can stop looking for a fix!

Thanks for the reply.

[flyingcastor]

Originally Posted by d'Wooluf

Avi's were the problem (as I should have established and made clear when I posted), so that seems to be that. At least I can stop looking for a fix!
Thanks for the reply.

I was looking at buying the XMS888.
Does this mean that 16:9 avi files are stretched vertically to fill the whole screen of a standard tv set, losing their aspect ratio?

[andw]

16:9 avi files on a 16:9 widescreen tv have incorrect aspect ratio (i.e. not stretched vertically)
16:9 avi files on a standard 4:3 screen will look the same as a DVD played in 'letter-box' mode. - Aspect ratio will be correct.

[flyingcastor]

Originally Posted by andw

16:9 avi files on a 16:9 widescreen tv have incorrect aspect ratio (i.e. not stretched vertically)
16:9 avi files on a standard 4:3 screen will look the same as a DVD played in 'letter-box' mode. - Aspect ratio will be correct.

Thanks for your reply andw.
How do other ratios appear on 4:3 screen? I'm talking about the .avi's which have a higher ratio than 16:9=1.77:1 , Like 1.85:1, 2.35:1, 2.4:1 ...
...and finally 4:3 itself.

[andw]

ok, on a 4:3 screen,
4:3 will be full screen. (probably depending on resolution though, probably not weird resolutions though (e.g. 170 x 128) - haven't checked so can't say for sure)
all other aspect ratios are like with DVD's on 4:3 screen (i.e. 2.35:1 will have larger black bars top and bottom than say 1.85:1)

[flyingcastor]

Originally Posted by andw

ok, on a 4:3 screen,
4:3 will be full screen. (probably depending on resolution though, probably not weird resolutions though (e.g. 170 x 128) - haven't checked so can't say for sure)
all other aspect ratios are like with DVD's on 4:3 screen (i.e. 2.35:1 will have larger black bars top and bottom than say 1.85:1)

...Because 2.35:1 has larger bars top and bottom, is there a function on the XMS to blow it up to a fair size without losing (any or much) aspect to fill up more screen... to size it up to 1.85:1 let's say?

[andw]

No, on AVI, the only zoom size at the moment is 2x (which isn't really much use).
On DVD, the first zoom is 1.5x (then from memory 2x and 4x).
(Although, what you have suggested, I have also asked for on later firmwares... here's hoping)